aw geezer, dont even get me looing forward to the 2009 season when i cant even stand the wait for the 2008 season an the outstanding frosh class we have coming in!!! i pm'd FANantic awhile ago about how excited i am for this season an then i realized i wasnt even considering the rapinoe's because they have been gone for so long! knowing they will be back i am even more excited for this year! so please geez, let's just savor this year an not even think at this point what the furture holds. yes, its great news, but there is onlly so much excitement i can stand at a time!!

I've noticed you noted Kate Bennet a few times? Hmmmm? Is she a possible Pilot recruit? I imagine UW is coveting her and working hard to keep her in WA! I think a good idea would be to just change the "name plate" of the US National U-17 team to Portland Pilots! ....Yah...I like that idea!

GUPhantom wrote:I've noticed you noted Kate Bennet a few times? Hmmmm? Is she a possible Pilot recruit? I imagine UW is coveting her and working hard to keep her in WA! I think a good idea would be to just change the "name plate" of the US National U-17 team to Portland Pilots! ....Yah...I like that idea!

GO PILOTS!!!

You exagerate. I only mentioned Kate twice (now three times ) and be careful what you wish for - I don't even know how to pronounce Kazbek Tambi.

I just thought I'd list two local players of interest.....

If she's from the area and on a National team, why Wouldn't UP look at her? She's class of 2010, BTW. Topdrawer lists her as a four star recruit, as he does Courtney. There are currently no five star recruits in the NW on his list, which is to be expected. He doesn't get out here much, and seems to have missed some of the local talent altogether.

Here's an All-Star team from the Seatlle Times for the greater Seattle area from December of 2007. You'll notice Kate Bennett of Bellevue on the list. She is listed as a sophomore, (class of 2010 as geezer said). However, the other ten All-Stars are all listed as Seniors! Do you think the Pilots are wooing this young phenom? Count on it!!! I mean, like geezer said, why wouldn't they. That, of course, in the end, will be her call. Keep your toes crossed!!!

By the way, the photo on that page is none other than Ms. Bennett. And the short paragraph about her is very interesting. Just a brief quote, "...most rival coaches game plan around her...". Yeah, I'm sure we'd like to add her to 2010 verbal commits Ellen Parker and Sarah Bridges.

Thanks Fanatic! I was actually "trying" to convey an acknowledgement to Geezer that I had "no doubt" that Kate is on the Pilot's watch list! But obviously, my literal tactic didn't communicate that correctly. Sometimes, the written word isn't interpreted as clearly as the spoken word.

I'll have the wife proof read my stuff next time. I'm always being told that "she doesn't get me" anyway! HA! ...This may be the my LAST post! It was nice knowing all of you!!

From geezer's gruesome details link above, there is another link (under related aticles), that gives some post-game quotes. I found one quote fairly interesting (bold's are mine):

U.S. U-17 WNT Captain Cloee Colohan

On her experience in the team’s first-ever qualifying tournament: “It’s been a really good experience. Being here in Trinidad is so much different that in the U.S. and just playing with the audience and everything is so different. I think it will help us if we get to New Zealand. It will calm us down and now we’re used to the fans and everything.”

On playing on the artificial turf: “We’ve been to a few training camps back at home and we’ve played on the artificial turf for a few months now so we’re pretty used to the turf and how quickly it moves. It’s good. We like it.”

On how much she is looking forward to playing against the host country on Tuesday: “I think we are ecstatic. We can’t wait. We want to win this whole thing. We want to take home the victory so I think we’re really excited to play and see what the competition is like.”

On trying to follow the footsteps of the U.S. Women’s National Team: “It’s been awesome. Being here (at this qualifying tournament) you get used to what the older girls do. Some girls don’t understand that it’s really tough. I look up to every girl here and every girl that’s on the Olympic team. It’s a great experience and hopefully we just keep working for the best. We have to just try our hardest to get (to the full National Team) and, if we don’t, just keep working hard.”

On being named captain for the match vs. El Salvador: “It felt really great. It was really exciting but also really nervous, being the team captain and trying to take care of everybody. But it was a great experience and I’m glad I was able to be the captain.”

Sounds like our prize 2009 recruit has her eyes on the prize: (the big girl's team)!!!

The US beat Mexico 1-0 in stoppage time in the semi's and will face Costa Rica in the finals of the CONCACAF qualifying tournament for the championship. The top three CONCACAF teams go to the World Cup, so the USA is in!

In an interesting development, Canada lost to Costa Rica 2-0 in a game they played poorly. Among other things, there was apparently a hand ball in the box

Canada now needs to beat Mexico for third place in the tournament to go to New Zealand.

In their previous matches earlier in the Tournament, the US defeated Costa Rica 6-0, and Canada defeated Mexico 4-1.